Is the band all that you expected? Better or worse?

[DeLarla 22]

Rene, it really impresses me when people do so much personal research prior to getting banded, which is why I think the Band will be everything you expected since you'll know so much.

Did I expect to only lose 1/2 the weight? Yes, because that's what statistics say about the band.

Did I expect to get skinny? No, because only a small percentage lose all their weight.

Did I expect complication? Sort of considering I'm always the one that gets complications.

Did I expect the complications to cost so much? No, I was badly informed.

Am I happy with the results? Yes, very much so.

Has the Band changed my way of thinking about food? 70% of the time, no. But 30% of the time, yes. And 30% is pretty good for a gal that used to weigh 315 pounds.

Just keep reading so you'll know every little detail. Expect the worst, but HOPE for the best! Good luck.

[desertmom 297]

Hi

(another hijack)

Alexandra,I have really tried everything to get to the bottom of what is wrong.Am going for H Pylori urea breath test on Saturday.Had barium and fluro to see posistion and flow of the band.Radiologist said proximal displacement of the band, my dr says thats the way he places the band. It seems he doesnt creat a pouch,places band high and fixed to the esophagus,he has never had a slippage in 1200 patient but it seems that more people than just me take protronpump inhibitors so more people must have heartburn and reflux problems.It comes and goes and the dr really treated me like nothing was wrong and I have to just accept that.

Thing is I was totally prepared for the band.Totally positive about it.Researched it for 2 years,exited about the fact that I will lose weight.I totally dont feel the band or "side effects" in the morning until round about 16:00 in the afternoon when all this starts.I never knew that heartburn can absolutely overshadow everything else in one's life.It is such an awfull feeling.Sometimes even my voice changes completely and I cannot swallow.I have to concentrate all the time to swallow.

I started having these symptoms directly after the operation.It doesnt seem food related at all and everytime for the first few days after a fill I have no symptoms at all.

Living in the middle east doesnt make this easy and I will go see a Dr in South Africa in December when I go on holiday to find out if he thinks something is wrong.

I know this is not normal.I can see from everyone else's experience that this can be such a positive thing.The 39 pounds is just because I have decided to take advantage of this and lose as fast as possible.I need to benefit from having done this one way or the other.

O, the dr actually told me that a very small persentage patients reject the band and I might be one.I had a temptrature the first week that well just was and then slowly went away.My own theory is that the band is placed to high and that the dr just dont want to reband me.My concern however is the long term damage to my esophagus but again dr says there will be none.

Sorry for long "high jack".I have been so desperate and am now having to make peace with the fact that help isnt just around the corner and this might be as good as its gonna get until I remove this band.I live day by day and will see how long I can last like this.It seems the moment they took my money that was it.I was on my own.

Anyhow,I surely cant find many people with same problems but the one's I can had the band removed which I dont want to do.Being self pay is of course a big concern and I dont want to spend all my savings on this.

Ok,enough.I still believe that the band is a good idea.With the other surgeries the complications,when they happen, is too huge and sometimes untreatable (is there a word like that?)

[burnsun 27]

I also love my band!!!! iT WAS EXACTLY WHAT i EXPECTED. tHERE ARE PLENTY OF DAYS i AM SURPRISED IT WORKS AS WELL AS IT DOES FOR ME. I would just cry if it went away. I love feeling normal and looking normal (ok as normal as a 5'8" chick that wears fairy costumes to her daughter's birthday party can look - see picture thread) My family loves that I am energetic and having fun.

I am allmost at my original goal - 165 lbs- I may revise that- I am almost at at 24.9 BMI and I am really excited! It has been great for me- one fill and that is it!

[rene2005 0]

Thank you for your help everyone. I sure hope you get better Desertmom. I wonder when if I wanted the band out what would the criteria be for the ins to take it out. I'd rather be overweight and happy then in constant ill feeling. I hope you continue to come back with updates on how your doing. That IS a plus for the band is that it can be reversed.

I have saw a person on TV with bypass who had been hospitalized 2 times for a total of 30 days and been bed ridden for almost 8 months and they still say they are glad they had it! Not me. That is why I don't want gastric.

Thanks all again!

Rene

[Alexandra 55]

It seems he doesnt creat a pouch,places band high and fixed to the esophagus,

Wow. I'm no doctor but that would seem to be counter to the way the manufacturers intend the band to be used. If your band actually is at the base of your esophagus, it's not surprising you're having heartburn! When the food is held up by the band it has nowhere to go BUT up. We're supposed to have SOME leeway via a pouch to let us eat a smaller, but still normal, amount of food. Are you in touch with any of your doc's other patients? Do they have the same negative experiences you do?

I'm really sorry for your troubles and hope you'll be able to find answers with a different doctor.

[Angeleyes 1]

I love my band but.... my life is different than what I expected. I am losing really slow( I know its a tool).... I didn't tell only one or two people and my husband's family has alot of occasions where they eat out and I can never tell when after one or two bites food gets caught in my throat. So I spend alot of time in the bath room. I try to avoid eating in public but there is times when I have to go and participate. For me eating is a chore, I have had my band almost 3 months and have lost 15 pounds no one has noticed. I will probably feel better in a few months when I can determine what foods to avoid and when I can see that I am losing more weight. I don't seem to have alot of energy to work off the weight.

However I was gaining every month so I am moving in the right direction.

[the best me 6]

So far so good...I'm headed down, so that's good. I feel pretty normal, actually VERY normal! I eat whatever, just slower. I have lost about 17 pounds in 12 weeks, BUT I lost 15 of that in the first 12 days. So not much downward movement for weeks and weeks now. I think I have just needed a minute to adjust! As much research as I did to prepare, I wasn't prepared for what restriction felt like. I have learned it's a very good thing, now! I fought hard to get back to where I was able to eat what I wanted and feel normal (which is Obese these days!) so now I'm able to let go of "normal" for a while and get back on tho the weight loss train. I'm ready to get well below 200 and say goodbye to those numbers for good! I have had NO trouble, NONE, keeping my weight off. It's like I'm at yet another plateau. But I have a fill scheduled next week and NOW, after 12 weeks, I'm ready. Actually, I was ready a few weeks ago but had to wait for my appointment, oh well.

So, the jury is still out. If I can get down below 160 and keep it off, money well-spent. If I make goal at 140? Well, that'd be a price of about $140 per pound. If I keep it off for good, OH YES!!!! It will be neat to post on this thread a year form now and see...

[Guest j. lynn]

Just wanted to know since I'm researching if the band is pretty much what you expected it to be or is it better or worse then what you thought?

Rene

so much better. easier than I thought and better results than i thought.

jayme

[katerzz 4]

I think all bandsters have a period where they just arent sure if they made the right decision, I know I have. Im sure in a year I'll forget all about my post-op doubts.

Even with the horrible complication I had and the pain it caused I would do this again. If I knew the person and felt they could make the changes we have to make, id recommend it also.

Is there days I wish i didnt have it? yes.. of course lots of them actually. Man what id do for a carls jr meal right now.

so how do I fix it? i put my before and after on my computer desktop. I took the before and after in the exact outfit so that even though I dont always "feel" like ive lost.. the picture says it all. I find myself staring at the picture actually.. just thinking wow.. whats it gonna be in a year maybe carls jr isnt that important!

I think ive been lucky.. even after the problems Ive had I managed to loose 50 lbs in less than 3 months. Thats amazing to me. Its funny I dont go get new cloths yet.. i like to wear my fat pants so that they are falling off my butt and i feel good in them knowing they used to be tight on me. I laugh sometimes because I dont think im a perfect bandster.. even though the weight is coming off I really dont think im giving it my all. I know i could improve but something in me just figures hey, its working how it is now why change it.

In the first month after surgery I found myself many times crying to my husband because I thought I madea mistake. Now when I see my picture I just think of that commerical on tv where they are like "this is what 5 lbs of fat looks like" and I think about going to Walmart and buying a 50 lb bag of dog food and lugging it around for a day hehe

I did 2 years of research... I thought for sure this was what i had to do to make my life better. I didnt think anything would go wrong.. and I didnt think id loose this much weight so fast. But.. EVERYONE is different and I just have to thank my stars that I am so lucky.

So ya.. sometimes I think its better, sometimes I think its worse. I do know one thing... and thats Id do it again in a heartbeat.

As far as your surgeon saying they cant fix it.. find another surgeon. Dont take no for an answer if somethings wrong.. it should be fixed. If you have doubts about your surgeons thoughts about how rebanding wont help.. called INAMED they are great over the phone and answer lots of questions from what I hear. What size band do you have? I had a ton of problems with the 9 cc one.. and no problems with the 11cc... just a thought. Also.. im totally floored your surgeon said it wouldnt hurt your esophagus long term.. heh if it wouldnt why is acid reflux a ++++ for insurance approval? I think your surgeons on crack personally and you really need to find out from INAMED what your options and their opinion is and they can recommend you a new surgeon.

[desertmom 297]

hi

I have a cousin band (french) that takes 9cc of saline.There is a british board that Im on and a huge amount of the woman there are going to this dr for the band.I cannot find longterm patients of his but the longest is one year and she takes prevacid everyday to stop reflux and heartburn.Some say they get it only if a fill is to tight.

I really dont know what the long term implications of this might be.The dr is so popular and is banding a huge number of people.

My problem is I stay in the middle east and I am selfpay. Do I want to spend another 30000dhs at another dr now?I want this guy to fix whatever the problem is and at his cost.I payed for a service and as far as Im concerned if the issues are not resolved I didnt get the service I payed for.

O,they say he creates a virtual pouch but not a real one.I am not even confused about this anymore just irritated by the lack of real information I can get.I understand that if food will sit in the esophagus it will dilate.It will aslo wear out the lower sphincter if it is placed to close to it.

I would also never recommend someone to trust the medical care here.My opinion has changed all together over the past few months.I have had to take a very firm stance the past few weeks and insist on the barium and fluro and insist on being tested for H Pylori.I will know the results of that tomorrow and actually hope that it is positive just so that maybe when that is treated I might be fine after all.

Anyhow,Im having a good day today and will not complain on my good days.

Bad days however is a different thing.

Anyhow,I am on a lot of medication now and some days it seems to work and some days not.I am losing weight however and will give this a chance to see if I dont just have a gastritis or something.

[rene2005 0]

bump for Freckles. this ay help too!!

[Guest betty240]

Hi I am in progess of have the lap band I am so glad I found this page thanksBetty

[Parvathi 2]

I, like many others, thought of this as a last resort and figured it probably wouldn't work, but was worth a shot.

The band has far surpassed my expectations. I've lost 40 lbs since early March and am absolutely thrilled with the results. I don't get as out of breath, walking down the streets or up the stairs (still a bit winded, but hey, I'm a smoker). My sleep apnea has all but disappeared. My self confidence has sky rocketed - I can now walk down the street and not stare at the ground, but rather, look people in the eye. I don't hear those little voices in my head when I'm in public telling me how disgusting I look. I have more energy to play with my daughter. I'm not tired all day. I could go on and on.

The band is the best thing I've ever done for me. Its not a cake walk. It does take work - but it makes it that lil bit easier and has made my goals reachable.

[flower 2]

No t so pleased with the band now can't get a fill because my port has flipped or tilted but after that is resolved well see little upset now but I have hope

[daisydoodle 0]

The whole experience has been easier than I anticipated, for that I am extremely happy. However, I am one of those that is losing much slower than I expected. I've lost 25lbs in almost 5 months and most of that came from the first month after surgery. I've got the larger VG band and it is taking me quite a few fills to get to where I feel any restriction.

I try to look at this as a life journey and all in all the scale is moving (creeping) in the right direction.

Be optimistic, but keep your expectations conservative on how fast you will lose your weight. Everyone is different and certainly some doctors are more aggressive than others.

Would I do it all over again? You betcha.